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Report Says, Ransom Note Demands $6 Million, Deadline Today at 5:00 P.M.; Rep. James Comer (R-KY) Says, Ghislaine Maxwell Expected to Plead the Fifth in Epstein Probe; Colin Gray Charged With Murder, Manslaughter in Connection With 2024 Georgia High School Shooting Allegedly Committed by Son, Colt. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired February 09, 2026 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[10:00:00]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, a family's plea. Nancy Guthrie's children say they will pay a ransom for the return of their mother as the search to find her enters its ninth day. We are live in Tucson with the very latest.

Plus, a Georgia father goes on trial for a deadly school shooting his son is accused of committing. Jury selection is underway right now.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And happening now, speaking behind closed doors. Convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell is being questioned by the House Oversight Committee.

And the Seattle Seahawks are your Super Bowl winners after a dominant defensive performance against the New England Patriots. But it's Bad Bunny who may have stolen the show with his historic halftime performance.

Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer with Pamela Brown, and you're in The Situation Room.

New this morning, an ominous deadline hangs over the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie 5:00 P.M. later today. CNN-affiliate KGUN reports the apparent ransom note demands $6 million in Bitcoin and threatens her life if the deadline is not met. Her adult children, Cameron, Savannah, and Annie, have issued yet another plea to the kidnappers promising they will pay the ransom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, NANCY GUTHRIE'S DAUGHTER: We received your message and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: All right. Let's go live right now to CNN Correspondent Ivan Rodriguez in Tucson for us. Ivan, what else are you learning this morning?

IVAN RODRIGUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, good morning. We can only imagine the amount of stress that the Guthrie family is feeling with this looming 5:00 P.M. deadline. In that latest video that was released by Savannah Guthrie and her siblings, our law enforcement experts believe that they're not looking to agitate anyone who might potentially Nancy Guthrie. In fact, their message they say is clear and they want to bring this to a resolution.

A big question on my mind this morning is if we could potentially see another message released today by the Guthrie family. If we look back at the timeline last week, Thursday at 5:00 PM was one of the first reported deadlines, and that also coincides with the time that Savannah Guthrie's brother released a video. We're also still unclear if there will be any more press conferences today. There haven't been now for the last few days. The sheriff had initially said that there wouldn't be any more conferences until they have new evidence that warrants some sort of press conference.

Now, outside of the Guthrie Home this morning, we've seen the sheriff deputy actually just leave. It appears that they switched shifts now this morning. And they're going to continue to be out here at the request of the Guthrie family to guard the home. Sunday afternoon, we also saw investigations continue, Wolf, and officials say they'll continue going back to multiple locations as the investigation continues to unfold.

BLITZER: All right. Ivan Rodriguez in Tucson for us, Ivan, thank you very much.

And to our viewers, if you have any information at all that could help investigators, please call the numbers on your screen. The FBI tip line is 1-800-CALL-FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department is (520) 351-4900.

BROWN: Just pray this gets resolved soon.

Happening now, members of Congress are expected to hear from Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell behind closed doors. The convicted sex trafficker will appear virtually from prison before the House Oversight Committee as part of the panel's probe into Epstein. The chairman of the committee, Republican Congressman James Comer, said he expects Maxwell to assert her Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination and not actually testify and answer questions.

Lawmakers are also now able to access the unredacted versions of the Epstein files that have been made public starting today at the Justice Department.

So, let's go live now to CNN Senior Reporter Annie Grayer on Capitol Hill.

[10:05:00]

Annie, what's the latest on Maxwell's appearance? ANNIE GRAYER, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, Pam, we're not expecting this deposition to go very long because as you mentioned, Maxwell is expected to assert her Fifth Amendment rights against self- incrimination, which means that lawmakers are not going to be able to get answers to these long sought after questions that they have for her.

Lawmakers are arriving right now for this deposition. Take a listen to Democrat Ro Khanna, what he had to say to reporters walking into the room.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): I submitted to Comer a letter with six or seven questions, things like who were the other co-conspirators, who were the other men who raped these underage girls. Did she have any conversations about a deal with Donald Trump?

Now, she's taken a blanket Fifth Amendment on any question, and my view is that in many of my questions don't, in any way, incriminate her. So, we'll see what she does. But there's seven questions that I have specifically asked, and the assumption is she's pleading the Fifth to each one of those, and the American people will see that there's an inconsistency. Why did she not plead the Fifth when Blanche asked her questions and now she's pleading the Fifth about things that don't implicate but may implicate many of the other powerful people in the Epstein class that committed these crimes?

REPORTER: I understand you're headed to DOJ this afternoon with --

KHANNA: With Thomas Massie. We're going to be there at 3:00. As soon as our flight lands, and then we're headed over, and then we'll have a small availability after 5:00 right after we're done with the documents.

REPORTER: What do you make of (INAUDIBLE) something else the committee's looking at this idea that they're investigating the finances of Ms. Omar, this is part of this fraud investigation here, but they say, you know, her wealth is caught up geometrically the past few years?

KHANNA: I don't think that we should be playing politics with this committee. It's unprecedented to go after another member. There's a procedure, there's a House Ethics Committee. So, we should be focused on who raped these underage girls, who committed these crimes and why we have a rich and powerful class that feels they're above the law.

REPORTER: Do you think they're trying to pin that on her just because it's a question of race, it's a question of --

KHANNA: I don't know, but I've been on the Oversight Committee now ten years. We've never done that with members. There's a different procedure for House Ethics, which we have. So, I don't know why we're trying to politicize the committee.

REPORTER: Mr. Khanna -- KHANNA: I'd rather -- you know what I do think Chair Comer should do, he should call a House Oversight subcommittee on the Epstein hearings and haul in every single person who's in those files has talked about going to the Epstein Island. That is something I would support. It could be bipartisan. He could have a Republican chair, a Democratic ranking member, have a committee. And let's start the hearings next week.

REPORTER: Mr. Khanna, a British question, if I may. What do you say to the man formerly known as Prince Andrew and to Peter Mandelson with regard to giving evidence to your committee?

KHANNA: Mandelson may bring down the whole government from what I hear. You know, he just engaged in terrible behavior. I mean, the allegations are very serious, that he was working for Gordon Brown and then feeding information about U.K., possibly buying euros and having Epstein trade on that. I mean, it is deeply, deeply troubling.

And, you know, Epstein's -- I saw this interview with Epstein's former girlfriend talking about how someone is a loser if they weren't mentioned in the Epstein files. It's a window into the elite impunity, this club.

And, by the way, I think this is the most vulnerable the British monarchy has ever been. I mean, I heard they were asking the queen questions about the Epstein files. They ought to ask the king and queen questions and maybe this will be the end of the monarchy.

REPORTER: What -- do you think it could be the end of the monarchy?

KHANNA: Well, if they don't have answers, if they're implicated with the Epstein files, not a good look for the British monarchy.

REPORTER: What questions does the king have to answer?

KHANNA: Well, the king has to answer what he knew, what he knew about Andrew. And just stripping Andrew of a title is not enough. I mean, Andrew needs to come before our committee and start answering questions. I mean, look, if you are -- have allegations of raping a young girl, I don't think the appropriate punishment is you no longer get to be a prince. There's got to be more than that.

REPORTER: Do you think the royal family must have known something they're not telling us?

KHANNA: They need to answer, the king and queen. And I don't understand, I mean, I don't understand the British custom, but what's up with this, that you're going and someone's asking the queen a question, the queen is offended that she's been asking a question. I mean, come on she wears the same clothes, she eats the same food. She's just a human being. She needs to answer the same questions anyone does.

REPORTER: Congressman, what do you think of the Clintons asking for their testimony to be public rather than behind closed doors? KHANNA: I believe that they are -- they should be public. You know, they have cooperated. They're asking -- answering all the questions. I'm glad they are. And I think Donald Trump should, but it should be public. I mean, let's ask -- let's have all these hearings public for anyone mentioned in the Epstein files.

[10:10:04]

I've got to get to this.

REPORTER: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRAYER: So, that was Democrat Ro Khanna. He was the lawmaker who co- led the legislation that mandated the Department of Justice release the Jeffrey Epstein files that they have.

And this is a big day for lawmakers for a number of reasons, besides just interviewing Maxwell, who, again, is serving out a 20-year prison sentence for her crimes related to Jeffrey Epstein, because it's the first day today that lawmakers can go to the Department of Justice and view the unredacted documents that DOJ has released so far related to Epstein. They can't bring their phones in, they can't bring staff in, but they can take notes and see for their own eyes what these documents look like without any redactions.

And as these -- as we learn more about what's in these over 3 million documents, the Oversight Committee is continuing to expand its investigation. As you heard from Congressman Khanna, we are expecting to hear from the Clintons and those highly anticipated depositions at the end of this month. And there are other associates from Epstein that Democrats and Republicans want to talk to.

BROWN: And we're just learning that the deposition has begun, the virtual deposition, and per her lawyer, she intends to invoke the Fifth.

Annie Grayer, thank you so much.

So, let's get some more analysis on this story and bring in former federal prosecutor Alyse Adamson. Hi, Alyse.

So, if you were advising Ghislaine Maxwell for her appearance in front of the House Oversight Committee, what would you do? Would you tell her to plead the Fifth?

ALYSE ADAMSON, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: Yes. Hi, Pamela, good morning.

I think any prudent counsel under these circumstances would advise their client to invoke the Fifth and not testify, and that's because this deposition is under oath and could potentially anything she says can be used against her in a future proceeding.

Maxwell is appealing her conviction and she has maintained her innocence throughout the entire prosecution. So, she's hoping that her case will go all the way up and get reversed, which means there could potentially be a new trial, and anything she says in this deposition could then be used against her. So, simply put, it is just too legally risky for her to say anything at this deposition today, Pamela.

BROWN: And you heard Congressman Ro Khanna talking about it and say, well, she spoke to the deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, didn't feed the plead the Fifth, why would she do that today? But as you point out, the key distinction is it is under oath, right?

ADAMSON: That's exactly right. The conversation she had with Todd Blanche was an off-the-record proffer. I mean, proffer is actually a term of art, but essentially a conversation she had that she knew was not going to be used against her here. This is a formal deposition under oath that could put her in real legal jeopardy in the future.

So, I don't think anybody in the legal community really expected her to testify here today, and she had actually said through counsel the only way that she would is if she was provided immunity, which the Department of Justice declined to do.

BROWN: My colleague, M.J. Lee, is reporting that Maxwell will speak if granted clemency by President Trump. What do you make of that?

ADAMSON: Yes. I mean, I think that her counsel is right to try to get clemency. That essentially means that she would not be serving out her prison term. She's only, I think, in year 4 of a 20-year term. I think that is unlikely to happen, Pamela, due to what her conviction was for. It is for the sex trafficking. And to-date, she's the only individual being held to account for these horrendous crimes against these young girls. So, I find it very hard to believe that the president would extend clemency or a pardon to Ms. Maxwell under these circumstances,

BROWN: And yet he continues to downplay it and call it a hoax.

Also another question for you, beginning today, members of Congress can view the unredacted versions of the publicly available Epstein files at the Justice Department. They won't be able to bring in any electronic devices, as we just heard from Annie, but they can take notes. If you are a lawmaker probing this case, what would you be looking for?

ADAMSON: The first thing I'd be looking for, Pamela, is information that provides an actual nexus between some of these people we have seen referenced in these files and the actual crimes. Because up to this point, we've seen a lot of names, we've seen a lot of situations, but so far nothing that really implicates wrongdoing. But we know that Jeffrey Epstein was not trafficking these girls simply for his own benefit.

So, I would assume that they're going to dig into these files. I think they already have a calculated tranche that they want to look into and see if there is additional information that could then help a future investigation into some of these unidentified or unnamed or even unspoken of co-conspirators here. BROWN: All right. Alyse Adamson, thank you so much.

Still ahead here in The Situation Room, we are live in San Francisco after the Seahawks secured the Lombardi trophy after their big Super Bowl win against the Patriots. What the team is saying this morning.

[10:15:00]

BLITZER: Also bringing, Puerto Rico to the Super Bowl, we're breaking down Bad Bunny's halftime performance from his message to his surprise guests and a lot more.

Stay with us. You're in The Situation Room.

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BLITZER: A jury selection is happening right now in the trial of Colin Gray, a father charged with murder and manslaughter in the 2024 shooting his teenage son allegedly carried out at his high school. Colt Gray was 14 years old when police say he opened fire at the school, killing two students and two teachers, and wounding nine other people with a gun given to him months earlier by his father. And that happened a year after police questioned Colt Gray and his dad about online threats Colt reportedly made to carry out a school shooting.

Our Jean Casarez is following the trial and joins us now.

[10:20:02]

Jean, prosecuting a parent for a child's alleged crimes, this is almost unprecedented. How did this come about?

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is a very novel theory, and you may remember in Michigan the James and Jennifer Crumbley case. Those are the only times -- that was a case of first impression. They had never done this before. So, this is really the third time that they have done it with this gentleman right here is the father of Colt Gray. So, it is creating criminal responsibility in the parent even though they didn't pull the trigger, they can be convicted of the same charges that the child is facing now.

Jury selection got going today about 9:00, and this is a very important part of any case, but it's critically important in this case because it's taking place in Hall County, which is Gainesville, Georgia. And there is a change of venue to a neighboring county, but that's not what the defense wanted. They wanted it a long ways away from the community. This is the same media community as where the school shooting took place. But they have to find jurors that are truly fair and impartial. And from Michigan, I know I was there. The emotion from a school shooting, it permeates inside the courtroom, and it is still in the community.

But this father is facing 29 counts. We're talking life in prison, two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, and then counts in regard to the children that were injured. But the challenge for the defense here is that a year before, his son allegedly on social media, said he wanted to shoot up the school. Police found out, school found out, big meeting, and then after that, he buys his son a gun. What will the defense be? That's a critical part of this case? He's pleaded not guilty.

BLITZER: Do we have any idea, Jean, why the father would give his son a gun even after being warned that the son was threatening to shoot up the school?

CASAREZ: There are reports that he said he was trying to teach his son gun safety. Was that gun locked up? Did that son decide I'm going to break into this safe, I'm going to get that gun? What are the facts? But you are right, because to simply purchase the gun in and of itself, that could be enough potentially for a conviction.

BLITZER: Yes, good point. All right, Jean Casarez, thank you very, very much. Pamela?

BROWN: Coming up here in The Situation Room, we are live in Milan with an update on skiing star Lindsey Vonn after that terrifying crash during yesterday's Olympic final.

We'll be right back.

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[10:25:00]

BLITZER: All right. Just moments ago, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, James Comer, has emerged from that hearing and informed all of us that Ghislaine Maxwell has decided to take the Fifth Amendment and refuse to answer any questions. Listen to what he's saying.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REP. JAMES COMER (R-KY): As expected, Ghislaine Maxwell took the Fifth and refused to answer any questions. This obviously is very disappointing. We had many questions to ask about the crime she and Epstein committed, as well as questions about potential co- conspirators. We sincerely want to get to the truth of the American people and justice for the survivors. That's what this investigation's about.

I want to mention the next steps we can confirm. We have five more depositions in the book scheduled for the Epstein investigation. On February 18th, Lex Wexner, who is a financial client of Epstein, and I believe the former CEO of Victoria's Secret. February 26, we have former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. February 27th. Former President Bill Clinton. March 11th, Richard Kahn, Epstein's accountant, and March 19th, Darren Indyke, Epstein's lawyer.

So, we will continue to move forward and try to get answers for the American people.

(CROSSTALKS)

REPORTER: Do you think that Britain's royal family has questions to answer to your committee?

COMER: Well, we would love to hear, you know, from anyone. Obviously, I can't subpoena in foreign countries. I would've done that in the Biden investigation. But do you have anything to add, Andy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll just add one thing that that the attorney for Ms. Maxwell said that she has no indication and would say that neither Presidents Trump or Clinton are culpable for any wrongdoing. And that's one thing they said in his opening statement to us today,

(CROSSTALKS)

REPORTER: Was Ghislaine Maxwell put under pressure to stay silent?

COMER: What's that?

REPORTER: Was Ghislaine Maxwell put under pressure to stay silent?

COMER: Well, I have no idea.

REPORTER: Is that your suspicion?

COMER: i have no idea. I mean, she was given an opportunity. We would have brought her in months ago, but she's indicated she was going to plead the Fifth. And, unfortunately, she had an opportunity today to answer questions that every American has questions that would be very important in this investigation, and she chose to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights.

REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE) clarify what her lawyer said about President Trump and Clinton? And do you think that there's anything more to do with Ghislaine Maxwell now that she voted the Fifth?

COMER: What -- correct me if I'm wrong, Andy.

[10:30:01]

What the -- just to be clear what the -- what her attorney said, Maxwell didn't say, her attorney said that she would answer questions if she --